Sebastion C. Lury
Special to the Critic
LSC’s hockey team looks to end the semester strong.
The semester break marks the end to the unofficial first half of the hockey season. The hockey team, a club sport at Lyndon State College, looks to continue its improvement, though their record may not show it. The team is currently 3-7 with two games remaining before break.
Coach Jonathan Davis admits that this not where the team would have liked to been at the break, but he is still proud of their accomplishments. One of the things he has noticed most of all is the camaraderie that the team has adopted.
“Practices are fun,” says Davis. “They enjoy each other’s company.” Davis speaks highly of the sense of team that the players present. The quality of play is still in progress.
“There is still room for development,” says Davis after emphasizing the improvement throughout the year of the entire team, especially the first and second year students.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” Davis says of the team as a representative for the school. “They represent the college well and manage themselves well.”
Davis recognizes several key players: co-captain forward Ricky Paparo, junior, of Colchester who had eight goals and 10 assists though the first eight games; co-captain forward Jordan Mosher, junior, of St. Albans who had 11 goals and 11 assists through the first eight games; co-captain goalie Tucker Labare of Underhill Center, senior, who had played every minute of the first four games; forward Cory Pronto, freshmen, of Newport who had eight goals and seven assists in the first eight games; defenseman T.J. Duggan, freshmen, of South Windsor, Conn. who had four goals and 11 assists in the first eight games; and forward Jeff Giroux, senior, of Derby, who had three goals and two assists in his first three games. Giroux had joined the team later in the season after serving as the goalie for the LSC men’s soccer team.
The team still has a long way to go in terms of a playoff run, with a couple of months of play resuming after the break.
Outside of hockey, the team has been a presence for the school. On Nov. 17, 2008, the team hosted a free skate for LSC students at the Fenton W. Chester Arena. The event was co-sponsored by Resident Life and was held between 9:30 p.m. and 11 p.m., drawing an attendance of roughly 150 students.
The team is also holding a fund-raiser between now and the end of the season. The team is selling apparel such as winter hats a.k.a. “beanies,” t-shirts, and jackets. The apparel can be bought either at home games or at Jonathan Davis’ office.
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Long boards, a growing art
Kriston Hall
Special to the Critic
Profiling a sport that may be growing on campus.
Long Boards have increased in popularity in recent years and the LSC campus is no exception.
To gain a better understanding of long boards here is a list of basic information and prices ranging from a top of the line setup and an interview with LSC sophomore. JP Guardino discussing his custom long board.
With the number of skateboards rolling around, they seem to be one of the most popular forms of transportation. The bike has been retired, replaced with four smaller wheels, a deck and far less in-between.
For those of you who don’t really know anything about skateboards or long boards they are essentially the same wheels, bearings, trucks, a deck and all the hardware in between. The deck is the wood platform you ride on, long boards are in some cases more than twice the length of a regular board with an average length of around 40 inches.
The board that Guardino made is a little bigger.
“The deck I made in June is 48" long and about 10" at its widest point.”
This board is bringing a new meaning to sidewalk surfing, being one of the biggest commonly made. Also Guardino says, “I have Original Skateboards S-10 trucks, 72mm Sector 9 Nine balls (75A), and Lucky Swiss bearings.”
The trucks on this board are ten inches wide with wheels that are almost two. Guardino said “It didn't take very long to make the board...the longest process was deciding on the shape, and dimensions.”
The deck of a board is covered in various types and colors of grip tape which is like sandpaper that gives the rider a solid grip on the board. Under the deck is where the trucks are mounted, which although they vary greatly in design they primarily have a main “King-Pin” which they pivot on to turn you whichever way you lean on the board.
On the trucks you put your speed rings and bearings which are semi-loose fitting so they spin easily and quickly. The bearings are pressed into the wheels and then Nylon nuts are used to hold the assembly on.
As far as what’s coming out of your pocket, Guardino said the “total cost of hardware [and] setup was $175...and then the deck, which I have not set a value on yet, but at least $100...So, in all, I spent about the same amount of money as I would have buying a complete, except I have a top-of-the-line setup...with my own custom made deck.”
Prices of long boards, complete or bought in parts range from 70-400$ (for a full setup) with the 70 dollar board being the cheapest parts all around. Even a cheap board can be good for transit though with the addition of new bearings. A cheap board wont handle as well at speed or for carving but good bearings (about 50$) will allow you to gain and carry speed much more efficiently while traveling from point A to B
Special to the Critic
Profiling a sport that may be growing on campus.
Long Boards have increased in popularity in recent years and the LSC campus is no exception.
To gain a better understanding of long boards here is a list of basic information and prices ranging from a top of the line setup and an interview with LSC sophomore. JP Guardino discussing his custom long board.
With the number of skateboards rolling around, they seem to be one of the most popular forms of transportation. The bike has been retired, replaced with four smaller wheels, a deck and far less in-between.
For those of you who don’t really know anything about skateboards or long boards they are essentially the same wheels, bearings, trucks, a deck and all the hardware in between. The deck is the wood platform you ride on, long boards are in some cases more than twice the length of a regular board with an average length of around 40 inches.
The board that Guardino made is a little bigger.
“The deck I made in June is 48" long and about 10" at its widest point.”
This board is bringing a new meaning to sidewalk surfing, being one of the biggest commonly made. Also Guardino says, “I have Original Skateboards S-10 trucks, 72mm Sector 9 Nine balls (75A), and Lucky Swiss bearings.”
The trucks on this board are ten inches wide with wheels that are almost two. Guardino said “It didn't take very long to make the board...the longest process was deciding on the shape, and dimensions.”
The deck of a board is covered in various types and colors of grip tape which is like sandpaper that gives the rider a solid grip on the board. Under the deck is where the trucks are mounted, which although they vary greatly in design they primarily have a main “King-Pin” which they pivot on to turn you whichever way you lean on the board.
On the trucks you put your speed rings and bearings which are semi-loose fitting so they spin easily and quickly. The bearings are pressed into the wheels and then Nylon nuts are used to hold the assembly on.
As far as what’s coming out of your pocket, Guardino said the “total cost of hardware [and] setup was $175...and then the deck, which I have not set a value on yet, but at least $100...So, in all, I spent about the same amount of money as I would have buying a complete, except I have a top-of-the-line setup...with my own custom made deck.”
Prices of long boards, complete or bought in parts range from 70-400$ (for a full setup) with the 70 dollar board being the cheapest parts all around. Even a cheap board can be good for transit though with the addition of new bearings. A cheap board wont handle as well at speed or for carving but good bearings (about 50$) will allow you to gain and carry speed much more efficiently while traveling from point A to B
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Tunnel of Oppression
Brian Howe
Special to the Critic
Students are required to go through the Tunnel of Oppression, though it proved haunting to some.
Racism, sexism, and domestic violence can be very hard for anyone to deal with.
The tunnel of oppression dealt with not only hate crimes but other types of violence. Students and community members had the chance to experience the tunnel. The tour features different rooms and each room deals with a type of violence.
“It hit pretty close to home because I grew up in a military family. I have been around people from all over the world”, said Micheal Smith, a freshmen and graphic design major. He had the chance to visit the tunnel but had to leave because it brought back too many memories of the past. He says that part of it brought back memories from when pow's (prisoner of war) came back from the Vietnam war.
“Our staff of peer leaders are each given a room to research”, said Donna Keely, the director of the first year experience. They put the tunnel together with the research they get and portray what would really happen in different situations when it came to different types of violence.
“Students don't know what to expect so they don't sign up but their friends go through and then tell them about it. Then we see students wanting to go through”, said Keely. By the last day they have to squeeze in students because they want to experience the tunnel; the tunnel only runs every fall semester.
“Monday in INT class some said it was ridiculous. They didn't think it was worth their time and students around campus said the same thing and it angered me,” said Smith. The tunnel was set up for students to learn about the different types of violence so they can do something about it if they see it happening.
This is a requirement for INT-1020 students and they must go through.
“My professor said that it was a requirement for us to go through and we didn't have an option,” says Smith. Some students might be too emotionally sensitive to handle this type of confrontation, says Smith.
“It is still my opinion that students either need to be told what they may find in this activity or be given the option to do something else for their INT course”, Smith said.
Special to the Critic
Students are required to go through the Tunnel of Oppression, though it proved haunting to some.
Racism, sexism, and domestic violence can be very hard for anyone to deal with.
The tunnel of oppression dealt with not only hate crimes but other types of violence. Students and community members had the chance to experience the tunnel. The tour features different rooms and each room deals with a type of violence.
“It hit pretty close to home because I grew up in a military family. I have been around people from all over the world”, said Micheal Smith, a freshmen and graphic design major. He had the chance to visit the tunnel but had to leave because it brought back too many memories of the past. He says that part of it brought back memories from when pow's (prisoner of war) came back from the Vietnam war.
“Our staff of peer leaders are each given a room to research”, said Donna Keely, the director of the first year experience. They put the tunnel together with the research they get and portray what would really happen in different situations when it came to different types of violence.
“Students don't know what to expect so they don't sign up but their friends go through and then tell them about it. Then we see students wanting to go through”, said Keely. By the last day they have to squeeze in students because they want to experience the tunnel; the tunnel only runs every fall semester.
“Monday in INT class some said it was ridiculous. They didn't think it was worth their time and students around campus said the same thing and it angered me,” said Smith. The tunnel was set up for students to learn about the different types of violence so they can do something about it if they see it happening.
This is a requirement for INT-1020 students and they must go through.
“My professor said that it was a requirement for us to go through and we didn't have an option,” says Smith. Some students might be too emotionally sensitive to handle this type of confrontation, says Smith.
“It is still my opinion that students either need to be told what they may find in this activity or be given the option to do something else for their INT course”, Smith said.
New 3-point line for men's college B-Ball
Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
Change to come 20 years after old line was instituted.
Long jump shots just got longer, thanks to a rule change that is taking effect this season in men’s basketball.
The NCAA has moved the men’s three-point line back a full foot, from 19 feet, nine inches to 20 feet, nine inches. The rule change was approved in August, when the NCAA distributed its updated court diagram for the upcoming season.
The old line was instituted at the start of the 1986-87 season and was the three-point line for college basketball down to middle school. Last year in men’s basketball, teams shot an average of 35 percent from three-point range. The rule change just might bring more balance back to the game, according to Bill Johnson, assistant athletic director.
“It might get the inside game back by spreading defenses out. It won’t be a huge adjustment for the offensive players,” Johnson said. This means that because defenses have more floorspace to cover, offenses will be able to get the ball inside more often to their post players. The change might also have an impact on how the half-court game is played.
“I think it’ll make a big difference in the high-low game. I think it’ll highlight the inside game,” Johnson said. He feels that the post-up game, where a forward plays with his back to the basket, has been lost for a while.
“You gotta have a balanced game for the nights when the threes aren’t going down,” Johnson said, noticing in recent years that players are settling more for three-pointers instead of working on having balance in the other parts of their games.
Johnson believes that the evolution of the game has made the three-pointer an easier shot, especially since players are much bigger and stronger now than they were 20 to 25 years ago. However, he feels that on offense, some players won’t have to make as much of an adjustment as others.
“The pure shooters can knock down jump shots. A foot either way doesn’t make a difference. The streak shooters will have to make an adjustment,” Johnson says.
No one will know for sure how effective the new three-point line will be until the statistics come out at the end of this season.
Sports Editor
Change to come 20 years after old line was instituted.
Long jump shots just got longer, thanks to a rule change that is taking effect this season in men’s basketball.
The NCAA has moved the men’s three-point line back a full foot, from 19 feet, nine inches to 20 feet, nine inches. The rule change was approved in August, when the NCAA distributed its updated court diagram for the upcoming season.
The old line was instituted at the start of the 1986-87 season and was the three-point line for college basketball down to middle school. Last year in men’s basketball, teams shot an average of 35 percent from three-point range. The rule change just might bring more balance back to the game, according to Bill Johnson, assistant athletic director.
“It might get the inside game back by spreading defenses out. It won’t be a huge adjustment for the offensive players,” Johnson said. This means that because defenses have more floorspace to cover, offenses will be able to get the ball inside more often to their post players. The change might also have an impact on how the half-court game is played.
“I think it’ll make a big difference in the high-low game. I think it’ll highlight the inside game,” Johnson said. He feels that the post-up game, where a forward plays with his back to the basket, has been lost for a while.
“You gotta have a balanced game for the nights when the threes aren’t going down,” Johnson said, noticing in recent years that players are settling more for three-pointers instead of working on having balance in the other parts of their games.
Johnson believes that the evolution of the game has made the three-pointer an easier shot, especially since players are much bigger and stronger now than they were 20 to 25 years ago. However, he feels that on offense, some players won’t have to make as much of an adjustment as others.
“The pure shooters can knock down jump shots. A foot either way doesn’t make a difference. The streak shooters will have to make an adjustment,” Johnson says.
No one will know for sure how effective the new three-point line will be until the statistics come out at the end of this season.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
LSC adjusts to NAC play
By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
The Hornets make a smooth transition into a new conference.
Coming into this semester, the Hornets coaching staff knew that they were going to face a stiff challenge in the North Atlantic Conference. What they didn’t know was how well some of the teams would adjust to competing in a new conference.
The Hornets soccer teams each earned their first conference wins last weekend, with the men scoring a 2-0 win at UMaine-Farmington, while the women earned a closely contested 1-0 win at Thomas College.
Despite having sub-.500 records in the NAC, both soccer teams currently have .500 records overall, and are in good position to earn conference playoff bids. The women’s team is in fifth place of the eight teams in the conference, while the men are sixth.
Wins in their final two conference games could help the teams host first round playoff games. To do that, they first have to get through Johnson State on Saturday.
“These are important games this weekend,” Chris Ummer, director of athletics, said. “They’re both in the mix. It just depends on how they play down the stretch.”
Ummer said that since two of each soccer team’s final four games are conference play, they must win those games. He feels that each team has a good chance at finishing the year above .500.
The men’s team is coming off a huge win last week against Norwich, a 2-1 double-overtime thriller. Ummer says that win should be a big help to the team.
“It’s a big boost. It gives them a lot of momentum. They realized the level they can play at.”
Ummer says that while the soccer and volleyball teams may have struggled early on in NAC play, his cross-country teams have done very well against their conference competition. He said the men’s team has beaten both conference opponents they’ve faced so far, and the women’s team has only been beaten by Castleton up to this point in the season. Ummer is very confident about how his runners will do in the upcoming NAC Championships.
“I think the men will finish either first or second, and I fully expect Lyndsay (Calkins) to win the NAC championship,” Ummer said.
As for Lyndon’s coaching staff, opinions vary as to how well they’ll do in their respective inaugural seasons in the NAC. Some teams did very well against NAC competition last year, when Lyndon was still in the USCAA.
“The coaches feel different about their teams. Some feel they can come in and be competitive right away. Some feel that they’re going to have an uphill battle,” Ummer said, adding that baseball and softball both did very well last spring against NAC teams. The baseball team went 4-1 against the NAC on their way to the USCAA National Championship.
Ummer says that Lyndon State can’t wait to be good in the future. He feels the teams need to find ways to be competitive right away, because he believes the future is now.
Sports Editor
The Hornets make a smooth transition into a new conference.
Coming into this semester, the Hornets coaching staff knew that they were going to face a stiff challenge in the North Atlantic Conference. What they didn’t know was how well some of the teams would adjust to competing in a new conference.
The Hornets soccer teams each earned their first conference wins last weekend, with the men scoring a 2-0 win at UMaine-Farmington, while the women earned a closely contested 1-0 win at Thomas College.
Despite having sub-.500 records in the NAC, both soccer teams currently have .500 records overall, and are in good position to earn conference playoff bids. The women’s team is in fifth place of the eight teams in the conference, while the men are sixth.
Wins in their final two conference games could help the teams host first round playoff games. To do that, they first have to get through Johnson State on Saturday.
“These are important games this weekend,” Chris Ummer, director of athletics, said. “They’re both in the mix. It just depends on how they play down the stretch.”
Ummer said that since two of each soccer team’s final four games are conference play, they must win those games. He feels that each team has a good chance at finishing the year above .500.
The men’s team is coming off a huge win last week against Norwich, a 2-1 double-overtime thriller. Ummer says that win should be a big help to the team.
“It’s a big boost. It gives them a lot of momentum. They realized the level they can play at.”
Ummer says that while the soccer and volleyball teams may have struggled early on in NAC play, his cross-country teams have done very well against their conference competition. He said the men’s team has beaten both conference opponents they’ve faced so far, and the women’s team has only been beaten by Castleton up to this point in the season. Ummer is very confident about how his runners will do in the upcoming NAC Championships.
“I think the men will finish either first or second, and I fully expect Lyndsay (Calkins) to win the NAC championship,” Ummer said.
As for Lyndon’s coaching staff, opinions vary as to how well they’ll do in their respective inaugural seasons in the NAC. Some teams did very well against NAC competition last year, when Lyndon was still in the USCAA.
“The coaches feel different about their teams. Some feel they can come in and be competitive right away. Some feel that they’re going to have an uphill battle,” Ummer said, adding that baseball and softball both did very well last spring against NAC teams. The baseball team went 4-1 against the NAC on their way to the USCAA National Championship.
Ummer says that Lyndon State can’t wait to be good in the future. He feels the teams need to find ways to be competitive right away, because he believes the future is now.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Disc golf course now open
Abbey Heimlich
Special to the Critic
Club raises funds to build course for community.
Lyndon State officially opened its new disc golf course with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday September 20th.
“It’s a wonderful way for students to recreate,” said Jonathan Davis, the Interim Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. “It’s non-invasive in terms of the environment, and a safe way to have fun on campus.”
Davis, Jamie Struck adjunct professor for the Recreation Department and Tom Kurtz a junior Music Industry and Business Administration major, all cut ribbons at the ceremony. In addition to the ribbon cutting the course was crowned with a plaque stating the rules of the game.
Struck described disc golf as “a combination of Frisbee and playing pool. You have to think of angle, speed and flight path.” The game is greatly increasing in popularity. “In 1974 there was one course, now there are over 1500,” Struck said. Some regular golf clubs and even some ski resorts are putting in their own disk golf courses.
“It’s great because no expensive equipment is needed,” Davis said. All you need is a Frisbee, though some people play with professional disc golf discs.
Players start at a tee and throw their discs as far as they can toward the hole: a pole with metal chains hanging down it to form a basket. There is a set par for each hole. The par for the course of nine holes at Lyndon is 27.
“It’s great because the student population responded to it,” Struck said. Struck had designed a course on his own property, and played on four other courses in the area. He brought students to play his course and they asked him why LSC didn’t have a course of its own.
The Ultimate Frisbee Club requested an estimated five thousand dollars for the course from the Student Government Association and began working on it at the end of last semester.
“Help from the disc golf community made it completely worthwhile,” Struck said. “They made it theirs by cutting trees or giving time to clear brush.” The course was constructed with the original landscape in mind. Struck kept in mind the lanes and alleys within the forest that made a natural path for play.
The first hole is located in the field below the Rita Bole parking lot. From there it goes up and down hills through the woods circling around the lower half of campus. It ends at the top of the hill by the baseball fields.
“Anyone from the school, the town or even the state can play,” said Kurtz. While working on the course this summer Struck ran into visitors playing the course. They told him “ its not just a disc golf course, it’s a great disc golf course.”
There are future plans for disc golf tournaments against other school such as Johnson State who also have a disc golf course. Struck would also like to create a class to teach people to play the game.
Special to the Critic
Club raises funds to build course for community.
Lyndon State officially opened its new disc golf course with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday September 20th.
“It’s a wonderful way for students to recreate,” said Jonathan Davis, the Interim Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. “It’s non-invasive in terms of the environment, and a safe way to have fun on campus.”
Davis, Jamie Struck adjunct professor for the Recreation Department and Tom Kurtz a junior Music Industry and Business Administration major, all cut ribbons at the ceremony. In addition to the ribbon cutting the course was crowned with a plaque stating the rules of the game.
Struck described disc golf as “a combination of Frisbee and playing pool. You have to think of angle, speed and flight path.” The game is greatly increasing in popularity. “In 1974 there was one course, now there are over 1500,” Struck said. Some regular golf clubs and even some ski resorts are putting in their own disk golf courses.
“It’s great because no expensive equipment is needed,” Davis said. All you need is a Frisbee, though some people play with professional disc golf discs.
Players start at a tee and throw their discs as far as they can toward the hole: a pole with metal chains hanging down it to form a basket. There is a set par for each hole. The par for the course of nine holes at Lyndon is 27.
“It’s great because the student population responded to it,” Struck said. Struck had designed a course on his own property, and played on four other courses in the area. He brought students to play his course and they asked him why LSC didn’t have a course of its own.
The Ultimate Frisbee Club requested an estimated five thousand dollars for the course from the Student Government Association and began working on it at the end of last semester.
“Help from the disc golf community made it completely worthwhile,” Struck said. “They made it theirs by cutting trees or giving time to clear brush.” The course was constructed with the original landscape in mind. Struck kept in mind the lanes and alleys within the forest that made a natural path for play.
The first hole is located in the field below the Rita Bole parking lot. From there it goes up and down hills through the woods circling around the lower half of campus. It ends at the top of the hill by the baseball fields.
“Anyone from the school, the town or even the state can play,” said Kurtz. While working on the course this summer Struck ran into visitors playing the course. They told him “ its not just a disc golf course, it’s a great disc golf course.”
There are future plans for disc golf tournaments against other school such as Johnson State who also have a disc golf course. Struck would also like to create a class to teach people to play the game.
Lacrosse looking for players
Sam Monroe
Special to the Critic
A player runs down the sideline with the ball and then he passes it across to a teammate, his teammate fires it past the goaltender, the players come together to celebrate the goal and then return to play, hungry for another goal.
This could be you. The Lyndon State College Lacrosse team is looking for players for the upcoming season. Each team has to have ten players on the field at one time, and a good-sized lacrosse team often has 25-30 on the roster.
Craig Salvagno, lacrosse team captain said that the team had about twenty players last season and fourteen or fifteen of them are coming back this season. Of those twenty players last season thirteen of them had never played organized lacrosse before. “It was the teams first season and a good learning year for all the new players,” said Salvagno. “If someone has never played and is looking to they can come out.”
Last season was Lyndon’s first year having a division three lacrosse team, because of that they were not eligible for post season play. This season however is different. The team is now a varsity division three NCAA team and will be eligible for the post season.
“Last year we did not really play as a team, and that should change this season, we have a lot of guys coming back and are starting to work as a team already” Salvagno said.
The regular season will not start until March but the team is starting to practice. They are doing drills and scrimmaging to get the returning players back to where they should be and the new players acclimated to the team.
For more information contact Craig Salvagno at Michael.salvagno@lyndonstate.edu
Special to the Critic
A player runs down the sideline with the ball and then he passes it across to a teammate, his teammate fires it past the goaltender, the players come together to celebrate the goal and then return to play, hungry for another goal.
This could be you. The Lyndon State College Lacrosse team is looking for players for the upcoming season. Each team has to have ten players on the field at one time, and a good-sized lacrosse team often has 25-30 on the roster.
Craig Salvagno, lacrosse team captain said that the team had about twenty players last season and fourteen or fifteen of them are coming back this season. Of those twenty players last season thirteen of them had never played organized lacrosse before. “It was the teams first season and a good learning year for all the new players,” said Salvagno. “If someone has never played and is looking to they can come out.”
Last season was Lyndon’s first year having a division three lacrosse team, because of that they were not eligible for post season play. This season however is different. The team is now a varsity division three NCAA team and will be eligible for the post season.
“Last year we did not really play as a team, and that should change this season, we have a lot of guys coming back and are starting to work as a team already” Salvagno said.
The regular season will not start until March but the team is starting to practice. They are doing drills and scrimmaging to get the returning players back to where they should be and the new players acclimated to the team.
For more information contact Craig Salvagno at Michael.salvagno@lyndonstate.edu
Men's Soccer Update
Jack Carney
Special to the Critic
After their first three conference games the Lyndon State mens soccer team is currently ranked 7th in the NAC. Now with ten days left until their next game Head coach Pete Kellyaway told the men its time to regroup and repair their season.
"It's now time for us to do some soul searching," Kellaway said. "you need to ask yourself if you wanna win in this conference or throw in the towel. We have the talent to win we need to decide weather we control what happens to us or if were gonna let someone do that for us"
The Hornets lost two key midfielders and senior team leaders Matt Scagnelli and Chris Cowan due to injury. Injuries have taken a big toll on the team over all many of the teams underclassmen have seen more playing time as a result to the injury.
"We need our younger guys to step up," Back P.J. Danforth said. "our upperclassmen are coming down with injuries . I feel like they've done a good job especially since most of them have never played at the college level."
Danforth went on to say that though the injuries are a big loss for the team, the biggest loss has been the lack of communication mental breakdowns between the players on the field.
"It only happens with little things," Danforth said. "like on defense we lse or marks it happened a couple of times today but every one of those times it dose happen gives them a chance to score."
Though the team has gone through both mental and physical pains the team is still optimistic about the season. Goalie Jeff Giroux said not to count Hornets out just yet.
"This is my senior season and our season on line," Giroux said. "We can be on of if not the best team in the NAC but we've lost control of that these last few games. But if we can just find some way to get back to our game we can have a winning season."
Special to the Critic
After their first three conference games the Lyndon State mens soccer team is currently ranked 7th in the NAC. Now with ten days left until their next game Head coach Pete Kellyaway told the men its time to regroup and repair their season.
"It's now time for us to do some soul searching," Kellaway said. "you need to ask yourself if you wanna win in this conference or throw in the towel. We have the talent to win we need to decide weather we control what happens to us or if were gonna let someone do that for us"
The Hornets lost two key midfielders and senior team leaders Matt Scagnelli and Chris Cowan due to injury. Injuries have taken a big toll on the team over all many of the teams underclassmen have seen more playing time as a result to the injury.
"We need our younger guys to step up," Back P.J. Danforth said. "our upperclassmen are coming down with injuries . I feel like they've done a good job especially since most of them have never played at the college level."
Danforth went on to say that though the injuries are a big loss for the team, the biggest loss has been the lack of communication mental breakdowns between the players on the field.
"It only happens with little things," Danforth said. "like on defense we lse or marks it happened a couple of times today but every one of those times it dose happen gives them a chance to score."
Though the team has gone through both mental and physical pains the team is still optimistic about the season. Goalie Jeff Giroux said not to count Hornets out just yet.
"This is my senior season and our season on line," Giroux said. "We can be on of if not the best team in the NAC but we've lost control of that these last few games. But if we can just find some way to get back to our game we can have a winning season."
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Young hornets are still learning to buzz
By Sam Monroe
Special to the Critic
The women's volleyball team at LSC still has some learning to do.
Inexperience once again poisoned the Lyndon State women’s volleyball team.
On Saturday the Hornets flew out to a 2-0 game lead over the Thomas College Terriers. However the Terriers would prove to be too much for the Hornets in the end, staking out a comeback and winning the match 3 games to 2.
In the first game the young Hornets would prove to be overpowering against the Terriers, winning the game 25-20. The Hornets would also dominate the second game winning it 25-19. Then with the score tied in third match at 12 all, the Terriers would begin to turn the tables their way. The Terriers would win the match 25-21 and then take the fourth match 25-20. It came down to one final match and then to one final serve. With the score 14-13 the Hornets had the match in their grasp, however it was not meant to be.
The Terriers would turn it around and complete the comeback. They would win the game 16-14, and the match 3 games to 2, and send the young slumping Hornets to a 2-8 record.
Freshman Amanda Laramee and Junior Morgan Reilly led the Hornets with four assists each. Sophomore Ally Ciaramitaro, junior Michelle Petty, and freshman Kayla Probst led the team with 6 digs (the passing of a spiked ball) each. Petty also led the team with 7 kills/spikes and had a block. Probst also had 6 kills/spikes and led the team in blocks with 2.
Special to the Critic
The women's volleyball team at LSC still has some learning to do.
Inexperience once again poisoned the Lyndon State women’s volleyball team.
On Saturday the Hornets flew out to a 2-0 game lead over the Thomas College Terriers. However the Terriers would prove to be too much for the Hornets in the end, staking out a comeback and winning the match 3 games to 2.
In the first game the young Hornets would prove to be overpowering against the Terriers, winning the game 25-20. The Hornets would also dominate the second game winning it 25-19. Then with the score tied in third match at 12 all, the Terriers would begin to turn the tables their way. The Terriers would win the match 25-21 and then take the fourth match 25-20. It came down to one final match and then to one final serve. With the score 14-13 the Hornets had the match in their grasp, however it was not meant to be.
The Terriers would turn it around and complete the comeback. They would win the game 16-14, and the match 3 games to 2, and send the young slumping Hornets to a 2-8 record.
Freshman Amanda Laramee and Junior Morgan Reilly led the Hornets with four assists each. Sophomore Ally Ciaramitaro, junior Michelle Petty, and freshman Kayla Probst led the team with 6 digs (the passing of a spiked ball) each. Petty also led the team with 7 kills/spikes and had a block. Probst also had 6 kills/spikes and led the team in blocks with 2.
Part-time faculty member makes dynamic entry
By Josiah Stewart
Critic Staff
Former LSC student becomes member of the faculty.
Lyndon State College welcomes John Shanks as one of 11 new part time faculty members.
John Shanks will be teaching one of the second half mini courses taught this semester on Olympic, and power lifting. Shanks is an exercise science major, and is also the president and founder of the Brazilian Jujitsu club at LSC.
“I’ve been studying Brazilian Jujitsu since my senior year of high school,” Shanks said.
Shanks is a blue belt in Brazilian Jujitsu under Roy Harris, and a green belt in Adaptive Combat Jujitsu.
The Brazilian Jujitsu club has been running since last spring, and is currently being held on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays starting at 6 pm in the racquetball court.
“I was asked to teach this second half mini course by Anthony Sgherza,” Shanks said.
“The class is going to focus on Olympic and power lifts, the power lifts being squats, bench presses, and dead lifts,” Shanks said. “The Olympic lifts will be the snatch, clean and jerk, among others.”
Shanks said that this is his first real instructing position at LSC and he is excited about getting started. The course is worth 1 credit, and 19 students are currently enrolled in it.
“I’m very excited about teaching.” Shanks said. “I was originally going to study computers, but they were too frustrating, and lifting is something that I enjoy doing.
Shanks has competed in power lifting competitions as well as Brazilian Jujitsu competitions in the past, and was adamant about the Brazilian Jujitsu competition that he will be attending on the 1st of November.
“The competition is something that we’re trying to get the Brazilian Jujitsu class into,” Shanks said.
Shanks, now age 22, entered a power lifting competition when he was 19 and won 1st place in the teen 220 lbs division. He also won second place in a men’s open 242 lbs division with a 435 lbs bench press.
Along with his other qualifications, Shanks is also an apprentice level grappling instructor under Roy Harris.
Shanks is enjoying his Brazilian Jujitsu instructor’s position, and can’t wait to be officially teaching the Olympic and power lifting course.
“I once heard that if you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life,” Shanks said.
Critic Staff
Former LSC student becomes member of the faculty.
Lyndon State College welcomes John Shanks as one of 11 new part time faculty members.
John Shanks will be teaching one of the second half mini courses taught this semester on Olympic, and power lifting. Shanks is an exercise science major, and is also the president and founder of the Brazilian Jujitsu club at LSC.
“I’ve been studying Brazilian Jujitsu since my senior year of high school,” Shanks said.
Shanks is a blue belt in Brazilian Jujitsu under Roy Harris, and a green belt in Adaptive Combat Jujitsu.
The Brazilian Jujitsu club has been running since last spring, and is currently being held on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays starting at 6 pm in the racquetball court.
“I was asked to teach this second half mini course by Anthony Sgherza,” Shanks said.
“The class is going to focus on Olympic and power lifts, the power lifts being squats, bench presses, and dead lifts,” Shanks said. “The Olympic lifts will be the snatch, clean and jerk, among others.”
Shanks said that this is his first real instructing position at LSC and he is excited about getting started. The course is worth 1 credit, and 19 students are currently enrolled in it.
“I’m very excited about teaching.” Shanks said. “I was originally going to study computers, but they were too frustrating, and lifting is something that I enjoy doing.
Shanks has competed in power lifting competitions as well as Brazilian Jujitsu competitions in the past, and was adamant about the Brazilian Jujitsu competition that he will be attending on the 1st of November.
“The competition is something that we’re trying to get the Brazilian Jujitsu class into,” Shanks said.
Shanks, now age 22, entered a power lifting competition when he was 19 and won 1st place in the teen 220 lbs division. He also won second place in a men’s open 242 lbs division with a 435 lbs bench press.
Along with his other qualifications, Shanks is also an apprentice level grappling instructor under Roy Harris.
Shanks is enjoying his Brazilian Jujitsu instructor’s position, and can’t wait to be officially teaching the Olympic and power lifting course.
“I once heard that if you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life,” Shanks said.
Lyndon State strikes again!
Aimee Lawton
Special to the Critic
Highlighting LSC's newest club.
There’s a new club at LSC that’s striking up a real buzz around campus!
At last Wednesday’s house meeting, the SGA approved the newest student run club on campus, the Lyndon Strikers. The idea for the Strikers came from President Michael Michaud, who thought it would be a good idea to start a club on campus for those students who like to bowl.
“A friend of mine and I love bowling and are always at the insomnia bowl nights, so we wanted to see if we could start a club to get to go [bowling] cheaper,” Michaud said. “We talked to the alley [to see] if they could work something out with us, and they did.”
Michaud started a group on Facebook for the club over the summer to see how much interest a bowling club would attract.
“A lot of people seemed interested, so we started to form it in to a club and here we are now,” Michaud said. His Facebook group currently has a member count of over 50.
The Lyndon Strikers meet Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. at Gold Crown Lanes in St. Johnsbury. Their first official meeting as a club was held last night, and proved to be a success as the alley began to fill up within the first 30 minutes of the meeting.
The bowling alley offers the Strikers discount game prices, along with free shoe rentals. As of right now, members also get to bowl their first games free courtesy of the club. If anyone is interested in learning more about the Lyndon Strikers, they are free to contact Michael Michaud at michael.michaud@lyndonstate.edu, and can be added to the club’s mailing list
So shine up those bowling shoes and get ready to roll. Head to Gold Crown Lanes on Wednesday nights, and check LSC’s newest club out for yourself. You’re sure to have a good time.
Special to the Critic
Highlighting LSC's newest club.
There’s a new club at LSC that’s striking up a real buzz around campus!
At last Wednesday’s house meeting, the SGA approved the newest student run club on campus, the Lyndon Strikers. The idea for the Strikers came from President Michael Michaud, who thought it would be a good idea to start a club on campus for those students who like to bowl.
“A friend of mine and I love bowling and are always at the insomnia bowl nights, so we wanted to see if we could start a club to get to go [bowling] cheaper,” Michaud said. “We talked to the alley [to see] if they could work something out with us, and they did.”
Michaud started a group on Facebook for the club over the summer to see how much interest a bowling club would attract.
“A lot of people seemed interested, so we started to form it in to a club and here we are now,” Michaud said. His Facebook group currently has a member count of over 50.
The Lyndon Strikers meet Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. at Gold Crown Lanes in St. Johnsbury. Their first official meeting as a club was held last night, and proved to be a success as the alley began to fill up within the first 30 minutes of the meeting.
The bowling alley offers the Strikers discount game prices, along with free shoe rentals. As of right now, members also get to bowl their first games free courtesy of the club. If anyone is interested in learning more about the Lyndon Strikers, they are free to contact Michael Michaud at michael.michaud@lyndonstate.edu, and can be added to the club’s mailing list
So shine up those bowling shoes and get ready to roll. Head to Gold Crown Lanes on Wednesday nights, and check LSC’s newest club out for yourself. You’re sure to have a good time.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
LSC Volleyball
By Jack Carney
Critic Staff
Even with a 2-6 record, hopes are high for LSC's volleyball team.
Of the ten woman roster for LSC's volleyball, only three have played before. Of those three there are only two players returning from last year’s team. The girls are currently 2-6 in the regular season but the Lady Hornets women's volleyball head coach Sean Fisher says the important thing for the team right now is to keep their head up and stay positive.
"I think down the road we can compete but right now, because of lack of experience, we have issues," Fisher said. "I think we can gain something from every loss. We can learn something and hopefully become a better team."
Because of the girls’ lack of experience as a team many of the girls said communication was a big factor impacting their current record. But Morgan Reilly, a junior, said that she believes the chemistry will come in due time.
"We go into communication breakdown and then we’re too late to do anything about it," Reilly said. "And by the time we do start clicking, and are getting motivated, we’re too far behind and it’s too late."
Fellow teammate and Junior Michelle Petty agreed with Reilly, but also added that there has been a big change with the new freshmen on the team. Petty said that fixing chemistry is priority number one right now.
"Getting a whole lot of new freshman on the team, we really don't know what to expect this season. I think we’ll just take it game by game. And as far as the winning goes it’s a work in progress.”
Fisher says that right now he is happy with the way things are going and said he knew it would be a rough start. But Fisher says he knows by the end of the season, the girls will be able to play with most teams.
"We have a young team," Fisher said. "And if they can stay here another four years, they'll have a chance to be really good."
Critic Staff
Even with a 2-6 record, hopes are high for LSC's volleyball team.
Of the ten woman roster for LSC's volleyball, only three have played before. Of those three there are only two players returning from last year’s team. The girls are currently 2-6 in the regular season but the Lady Hornets women's volleyball head coach Sean Fisher says the important thing for the team right now is to keep their head up and stay positive.
"I think down the road we can compete but right now, because of lack of experience, we have issues," Fisher said. "I think we can gain something from every loss. We can learn something and hopefully become a better team."
Because of the girls’ lack of experience as a team many of the girls said communication was a big factor impacting their current record. But Morgan Reilly, a junior, said that she believes the chemistry will come in due time.
"We go into communication breakdown and then we’re too late to do anything about it," Reilly said. "And by the time we do start clicking, and are getting motivated, we’re too far behind and it’s too late."
Fellow teammate and Junior Michelle Petty agreed with Reilly, but also added that there has been a big change with the new freshmen on the team. Petty said that fixing chemistry is priority number one right now.
"Getting a whole lot of new freshman on the team, we really don't know what to expect this season. I think we’ll just take it game by game. And as far as the winning goes it’s a work in progress.”
Fisher says that right now he is happy with the way things are going and said he knew it would be a rough start. But Fisher says he knows by the end of the season, the girls will be able to play with most teams.
"We have a young team," Fisher said. "And if they can stay here another four years, they'll have a chance to be really good."
Lyndon wins over Mitchell
By Jack Carney
Critic Staff
LSC emerges victorious in the overtime.
With five minutes left in the game, many of the fans still cheered on the Hornets as time wound down. The men were down 1-0 when, with 5:06 on the clock, senior Kyle Hessler crossed the ball to Phil Curll, who headed the ball into the back of the net to tie up the game 1-1. Men’s head soccer coach Pete Kellaway said he believed in his team and knew they could win as long as they kept their composure.
"They were staying patient, never let panic set in and never lost control," Kellaway said. "Our whole game is about control and we continued to move the ball well down the field.”
With the game tied the Hornets would take the game to overtime. Earlier in the season the men’s first game went into overtime, ending in a 1-0 loss. But this time around the Hornets would come out victorious. Hessler once again set up another ball that ricocheted off the cross bar to the feet of Junior Darren Roberge who punched it into the back of net giving the Hornets their third win of the season.
Tomorrow is the men’s North Atlantic Conference (NAC) opener vs. Castleton, the same team who won the NAC last year. But Kellaway said he won't let his team slide away from the things he believes this team can accomplish this season.
"We had a goal from day one and that goal was to do as well as we could to win the NAC," Kellaway said. "We feel real comfortable with our center fielders Kyle Hessler, Matt Scagnelli and Chris Cowan. Those three guys have been playing together for four years and they can play with anyone on the field."
But Kellaway went on to say it’s not just the seniors’ compatibility.
"I think one of the things I like about our team is everyone is in it for the team," Kellaway said. "This is about as close to a family as you can get. They truly enjoy each other, and they will do whatever it takes to accomplish the goal. Because that’s what this is, this is a team."
Photo by S.C. Lury
Girls' soccer
By Jack Carney
Critic Staff
Lady Hornets' soccer pick up the slack on slow season.
After losing the first two games to start the regular season, the Lady Hornets’ women's soccer team is now on a three game win streak heading into the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) opener vs Castleton tomorrow. Women's head coach Jim Davis said the first two games were tough with all the new faces.
"We spent the first week finding players. At the start of the year we only had nine girls, and now we have 17," Davis said. "I have ten freshmen that are new to this team and the school. So I think those first two games were just us getting the jitters out. But we have a great group of girls that work together and are focusing to be a better team."
Kathy Kline has scored three of the Hornets’ five goals in the last two games. Kline says she sees that her team is starting to focus and get better overall as a team.
"I think it’s because we became close as a team," Kline said. "Our game has progressed so much over the past few games. If we play the way I know we are capable of, I know we can win."
Davis said going from 0-2 to 3-2 has made a big psychological difference. Since going on the three game win streak the girls have scored 12 goals and have only allowed four. Davis says this is because the girls are finally moving into a progressive sequence.
"We can definitely score, but I think if we can tighten up on defense, we can beat any team," Davis said. "That’s what wins games is defense and if we can do that we will be a solid team. If we can do that we have got a good shot at beating teams and winning the NAC this year."
After their first five games, the Lady Hornets currently are ranked second in preseason NAC rankings in women’s soccer. Kline went on to say she and her teammates have big plans for this team and their season to come.
"I think I want to win the NAC conference," Kline said. "We can beat any team we go up against. We're 3-2 right now but by the end of the season I want us to be the winners overall."
Photo by S.C. Lury
No home for LSC x-country
By Sam Monroe
Special to the Critic
Without a single home meet, X-country athletes at Lyndon State College will have to travel away.
LSC Cross Country is running away.
Running away is the only type of running the Lyndon State College men’s and women’s cross country teams will be doing this season, as they do not have single home meet.
“It is just the nature of the sport,” Athletic Director and cross-country coach Chris Ummer said. Not every team has home meets every season; this is much to do with the amount of teams in the league, and the rotating schedule of the leagues championship meet. Most teams will want to run on the course that the championship is on at least once that season so they can prepare themselves for the course.
Ummer also said that there is a lot of “sweat and sometimes blood” that goes into preparing the course for a race. The entire course has to be raked of any leaves or branches that may have fallen and all other hazards that may cause any of the athletes to slip or possibly get injured.
The school’s cross-country course is deep in the woods and the construction has nothing to do with the scheduling.
“I would have loved to have them race here and give Lyndsay (Calkins) a chance to break the course record, but it just didn’t work out,” Ummer said. Ummer went on to say that both the men’s and women’s teams are looking good and should be exciting to watch this season. Unfortunately the Hornets will not get a chance to run in front of their hometown fans this year but expect them to be running through the Lyndon campus sometime in the near future.
Special to the Critic
Without a single home meet, X-country athletes at Lyndon State College will have to travel away.
LSC Cross Country is running away.
Running away is the only type of running the Lyndon State College men’s and women’s cross country teams will be doing this season, as they do not have single home meet.
“It is just the nature of the sport,” Athletic Director and cross-country coach Chris Ummer said. Not every team has home meets every season; this is much to do with the amount of teams in the league, and the rotating schedule of the leagues championship meet. Most teams will want to run on the course that the championship is on at least once that season so they can prepare themselves for the course.
Ummer also said that there is a lot of “sweat and sometimes blood” that goes into preparing the course for a race. The entire course has to be raked of any leaves or branches that may have fallen and all other hazards that may cause any of the athletes to slip or possibly get injured.
The school’s cross-country course is deep in the woods and the construction has nothing to do with the scheduling.
“I would have loved to have them race here and give Lyndsay (Calkins) a chance to break the course record, but it just didn’t work out,” Ummer said. Ummer went on to say that both the men’s and women’s teams are looking good and should be exciting to watch this season. Unfortunately the Hornets will not get a chance to run in front of their hometown fans this year but expect them to be running through the Lyndon campus sometime in the near future.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
New Rugby Coach
Blurb: There is a new face on the Rugby field this semester.
Section: Sports
9/12/08
By Kriston Hall
Critic Staff
There is a new face on the Rugby field this semester.
Josh Ainsworth originally of Peacham, Vermont but a current resident of Westmore has assumed the role of head coach this year.
“Every Jersey out there has a collar,” Ainsworth said. Rugby is (despite its appearance) a gentleman’s game. A game where no matter where you go you can be greeted with a handshake and hospitality.
Rugby is a much more rigorous workout with fewer breaks than football which it is frequently associated with and Ainsworth said that the rugby players are better athletes because of this.
Ainsworth plans on having fun and said he wants to take the team all the way to the championship this season.
Ainsworth attended Castleton State College where he played on the rugby team. He will now coach a team opposing his alma mater. This is only his second year as a coach.
Another difference is the attire.
Though there are still scheduling issues and a flux of number from practice to practice both of the men’s and women’s teams consistently have enough players for a full team of fifteen and many are returning faces.
Ainsworth is confident that the team can do well and is taking more of a “hands on, get down and dirty” coaching technique, by practicing with his players rather than sitting off to the side all practice.
Section: Sports
9/12/08
By Kriston Hall
Critic Staff
There is a new face on the Rugby field this semester.
Josh Ainsworth originally of Peacham, Vermont but a current resident of Westmore has assumed the role of head coach this year.
“Every Jersey out there has a collar,” Ainsworth said. Rugby is (despite its appearance) a gentleman’s game. A game where no matter where you go you can be greeted with a handshake and hospitality.
Rugby is a much more rigorous workout with fewer breaks than football which it is frequently associated with and Ainsworth said that the rugby players are better athletes because of this.
Ainsworth plans on having fun and said he wants to take the team all the way to the championship this season.
Ainsworth attended Castleton State College where he played on the rugby team. He will now coach a team opposing his alma mater. This is only his second year as a coach.
Another difference is the attire.
Though there are still scheduling issues and a flux of number from practice to practice both of the men’s and women’s teams consistently have enough players for a full team of fifteen and many are returning faces.
Ainsworth is confident that the team can do well and is taking more of a “hands on, get down and dirty” coaching technique, by practicing with his players rather than sitting off to the side all practice.
New field might draw in more students
Blurb: Lyndon State College’s sports teams look forward to seeing the results of the renovations done to the sports fields.
Section: Sports
9/12/08
By Jack Carney
Critic Staff
The torn dirt and ripped grass of the beaten up varsity field is hopefully going to be a thing of the past with the athletic department’s new renovations to the varsity and practice fields.
Some of the renovations include elongating the varsity field as well as getting the practice field up to varsity standards and possibly having two varsity fields. The decision to renovate the fields was made by the administration initially, said assistant athletic director Bill Johnson.
"We’re renovating our fields mainly to fit the needs of our athletes," Johnson said. "It gets used up a lot with both soccer teams as well the lacrosse team using it in the spring."
"So what we've come to is to renovate the varsity field and get the practice field to varsity standards," Johnson said. "If we can do that it will give the varsity field a little rest and we will be able to keep up and maintain its condition."
Over the last few years poor field conditions have been a source of frustration for many of the athletes. These new renovations could eliminate that frustration for LSC athletes. And for LSC soccer and lacrosse player P.J. Danforth the decision to make the renovations could not have come soon enough.
"I think it’s a good thing because we all share that one field," Danforth said. "The camps they run in the preseason tear up the field so when the soccer season starts our field is already torn up and when the soccer season ends they cant do anything with the field cause its under snow and ice so by the time Lacrosse rolls around its still in bad condition."
Over the summer LSC runs many athletic camps using the varsity field these camps provide a key source of income to the schools athletics. Jim Davis head coach of the woman's soccer program here at LSC said having another field to work with during the summer camps would take some of the wear and tear off the varsity field.
"The camps just make it hard to keep up and maintain in good condition," Davis said, "So if we can have that other field to work with and move our summer programs to the practice field it would be an enhancement for our programs."
But renovating the varsity fields wont just help Lyndon State varsity athletics now but could be the gate way to luring in new recruits to LSC. Davis said the new renovations could be a key selling point for LSC athletics.
"What sells a student athlete is their game facilities," Davis said, "You look at the competition of LSC and a lot of other school are putting money into their facilities. If your LSC you have to compete, you have to show the student they can excel not only academically but on the field as well. The student athletes want to know that the school cares about their athletics."
Section: Sports
9/12/08
By Jack Carney
Critic Staff
The torn dirt and ripped grass of the beaten up varsity field is hopefully going to be a thing of the past with the athletic department’s new renovations to the varsity and practice fields.
Some of the renovations include elongating the varsity field as well as getting the practice field up to varsity standards and possibly having two varsity fields. The decision to renovate the fields was made by the administration initially, said assistant athletic director Bill Johnson.
"We’re renovating our fields mainly to fit the needs of our athletes," Johnson said. "It gets used up a lot with both soccer teams as well the lacrosse team using it in the spring."
"So what we've come to is to renovate the varsity field and get the practice field to varsity standards," Johnson said. "If we can do that it will give the varsity field a little rest and we will be able to keep up and maintain its condition."
Over the last few years poor field conditions have been a source of frustration for many of the athletes. These new renovations could eliminate that frustration for LSC athletes. And for LSC soccer and lacrosse player P.J. Danforth the decision to make the renovations could not have come soon enough.
"I think it’s a good thing because we all share that one field," Danforth said. "The camps they run in the preseason tear up the field so when the soccer season starts our field is already torn up and when the soccer season ends they cant do anything with the field cause its under snow and ice so by the time Lacrosse rolls around its still in bad condition."
Over the summer LSC runs many athletic camps using the varsity field these camps provide a key source of income to the schools athletics. Jim Davis head coach of the woman's soccer program here at LSC said having another field to work with during the summer camps would take some of the wear and tear off the varsity field.
"The camps just make it hard to keep up and maintain in good condition," Davis said, "So if we can have that other field to work with and move our summer programs to the practice field it would be an enhancement for our programs."
But renovating the varsity fields wont just help Lyndon State varsity athletics now but could be the gate way to luring in new recruits to LSC. Davis said the new renovations could be a key selling point for LSC athletics.
"What sells a student athlete is their game facilities," Davis said, "You look at the competition of LSC and a lot of other school are putting money into their facilities. If your LSC you have to compete, you have to show the student they can excel not only academically but on the field as well. The student athletes want to know that the school cares about their athletics."
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Reconstruction of the Athletic Fields Underway
5/8/07
By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff
The construction of a new field and an amphitheater, and improvements to the varsity and intramural fields are in the works. It is hoped that the intramural field will be completed by the fall of 2008, and that the varsity field will be completed by the fall of 2009.
“The varsity field which is located closest to the gym needs to be overhauled. There have been no improvements made to the field in nearly 20 years,” Chris Ummer, Director of Athletics said.
At this point in time, the plan is for the varsity field to be overhauled and then to have grass reseeded.
The varsity field has taken a beating due to the fact that there are so many events that happen on the field. In addition to games, class graduations, practices for soccer and summer camps all take place on the field.
The graduation ceremonies are rough on the fields because of the tent that is set up and the thousands of people that walk across the field. Last year the tent was on the varsity field for nearly a month due to the fact that the tent had to be dried before it could be taken down and it kept raining so the tent never was able to dry completely.
When a certain area of any space does not get precipitation for nearly a month it does a certain amount of damage to the surface. In fact, according to Chris Ummer, the field was in such bad condition in the fall that the varsity soccer team’s practices were relocated to the Lyndon Town School.
Currently the intramural field, which is located near the Stonehenge parking lot, is under reconstruction, and receiving the long overdue improvements. The new field will be located near the intramural field near the Stonehenge parking lot. Already, trees where the new field is planned to be located are being cleared. The intramural field homes the rugby, soccer and lacrosse teams, According to Tom Archer, the plan is that all of the fields will be regulation size fields. “I have my fingers crossed that the new field and the intramural field will be ready in the fall of 2008 so that the sports can be played as scheduled,” Ummer said.
With more regulation fields available, the utilization will be spread out and the fields will be in better condition.
By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff
The construction of a new field and an amphitheater, and improvements to the varsity and intramural fields are in the works. It is hoped that the intramural field will be completed by the fall of 2008, and that the varsity field will be completed by the fall of 2009.
“The varsity field which is located closest to the gym needs to be overhauled. There have been no improvements made to the field in nearly 20 years,” Chris Ummer, Director of Athletics said.
At this point in time, the plan is for the varsity field to be overhauled and then to have grass reseeded.
The varsity field has taken a beating due to the fact that there are so many events that happen on the field. In addition to games, class graduations, practices for soccer and summer camps all take place on the field.
The graduation ceremonies are rough on the fields because of the tent that is set up and the thousands of people that walk across the field. Last year the tent was on the varsity field for nearly a month due to the fact that the tent had to be dried before it could be taken down and it kept raining so the tent never was able to dry completely.
When a certain area of any space does not get precipitation for nearly a month it does a certain amount of damage to the surface. In fact, according to Chris Ummer, the field was in such bad condition in the fall that the varsity soccer team’s practices were relocated to the Lyndon Town School.
Currently the intramural field, which is located near the Stonehenge parking lot, is under reconstruction, and receiving the long overdue improvements. The new field will be located near the intramural field near the Stonehenge parking lot. Already, trees where the new field is planned to be located are being cleared. The intramural field homes the rugby, soccer and lacrosse teams, According to Tom Archer, the plan is that all of the fields will be regulation size fields. “I have my fingers crossed that the new field and the intramural field will be ready in the fall of 2008 so that the sports can be played as scheduled,” Ummer said.
With more regulation fields available, the utilization will be spread out and the fields will be in better condition.
Hornets baseball, softball going to national tournaments
5/8/07
By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
The Lyndon State baseball and softball teams have earned bids to go to the national tournaments for the first time in recent memory.
This year was the first winning season in several years for each team. The softball team learned about their bid last week, while the baseball team received their berth on Tuesday. According to a press release on the athletic department’s web site, this year was the baseball team’s first winning season in over ten years. The team has recently caught fire on their way to earning the bid.
Two weeks ago, the Hornets were on the outside looking in at a bid, as they were two games below .500. The team has won eight out of their last 11 games, including back-to-back doubleheader sweeps against UMaine-Farmington. The softball team has won five out of their last eight games and has had a winning record since April 12.
“I can’t even explain how I feel right now,” senior captain Angel Phelps said. “I’m honored to be a part of this team. This is the best thing to happen to me in college sports.”
“This’ll be great for me to finish out my last year ever of playing fast-pitch softball by going to the national championship as a number one seed,” said senior pitcher Ashlea Bourdon. She and junior catcher Sara Fetterhoff will each be going to their second national tournament this year, to go with their appearance at the USCAA women’s national basketball championship earlier this year. Bourdon says she’s more excited for this tournament because softball is her sport, and that she’s worked hard to reach this level. Fetterhoff thinks this string of national championship appearances by the school’s women’s sports teams shows how strong the women’s sports programs are here at LSC.
“It’s good to finally get some recognition,” Fetterhoff said, adding that she enjoys the camaraderie of her teammates. She also had some advice for her teammates about what it’s like to go to a national tournament.
“The goal is to win a few games, if not the championship. It’s not a vacation. The school is sending you to make a name for it,” Fetterhoff said.
Junior lefthander Matt Picard of the baseball team has enjoyed the offensive support he’s received in his recent starts. He and junior righthander Jesse Ballard lead the team in wins.
“It’s been phenomenal,” Picard said. “We got hit after hit. The offense got big hits from everyone in the lineup, especially big two-out hits.” It hasn’t been just Picard and Ballard leading the way in the rotation; it was everyone on the staff, as well as everyone on offense.
“The whole team in general has done well, on both offense and defense,” Picard said. Head coach Ryan Farley praised his players’ mental toughness when they caught fire on their way to clinching their tournament bid. The bats proceeded to heat up from there.
“The guys made a decision and they wouldn’t be denied,” Farley said. He added that this season’s success is the result of hard work all season long.
“We put a lot of work into it,” Farley said. “It’s nice to see it pay dividends, especially for the seniors.”
Farley says that after the struggles of the last couple of years, it’s rewarding to know that he was doing the right things and was putting the team in a position to be successful.
“It’s nice to know there’s something after the regular season,” Farley said. “It’s nice for the seniors who experienced the hardships.”
The softball team will be in Illinois for their tournament this weekend, while the baseball team will leave for Virginia tomorrow.
By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
The Lyndon State baseball and softball teams have earned bids to go to the national tournaments for the first time in recent memory.
This year was the first winning season in several years for each team. The softball team learned about their bid last week, while the baseball team received their berth on Tuesday. According to a press release on the athletic department’s web site, this year was the baseball team’s first winning season in over ten years. The team has recently caught fire on their way to earning the bid.
Two weeks ago, the Hornets were on the outside looking in at a bid, as they were two games below .500. The team has won eight out of their last 11 games, including back-to-back doubleheader sweeps against UMaine-Farmington. The softball team has won five out of their last eight games and has had a winning record since April 12.
“I can’t even explain how I feel right now,” senior captain Angel Phelps said. “I’m honored to be a part of this team. This is the best thing to happen to me in college sports.”
“This’ll be great for me to finish out my last year ever of playing fast-pitch softball by going to the national championship as a number one seed,” said senior pitcher Ashlea Bourdon. She and junior catcher Sara Fetterhoff will each be going to their second national tournament this year, to go with their appearance at the USCAA women’s national basketball championship earlier this year. Bourdon says she’s more excited for this tournament because softball is her sport, and that she’s worked hard to reach this level. Fetterhoff thinks this string of national championship appearances by the school’s women’s sports teams shows how strong the women’s sports programs are here at LSC.
“It’s good to finally get some recognition,” Fetterhoff said, adding that she enjoys the camaraderie of her teammates. She also had some advice for her teammates about what it’s like to go to a national tournament.
“The goal is to win a few games, if not the championship. It’s not a vacation. The school is sending you to make a name for it,” Fetterhoff said.
Junior lefthander Matt Picard of the baseball team has enjoyed the offensive support he’s received in his recent starts. He and junior righthander Jesse Ballard lead the team in wins.
“It’s been phenomenal,” Picard said. “We got hit after hit. The offense got big hits from everyone in the lineup, especially big two-out hits.” It hasn’t been just Picard and Ballard leading the way in the rotation; it was everyone on the staff, as well as everyone on offense.
“The whole team in general has done well, on both offense and defense,” Picard said. Head coach Ryan Farley praised his players’ mental toughness when they caught fire on their way to clinching their tournament bid. The bats proceeded to heat up from there.
“The guys made a decision and they wouldn’t be denied,” Farley said. He added that this season’s success is the result of hard work all season long.
“We put a lot of work into it,” Farley said. “It’s nice to see it pay dividends, especially for the seniors.”
Farley says that after the struggles of the last couple of years, it’s rewarding to know that he was doing the right things and was putting the team in a position to be successful.
“It’s nice to know there’s something after the regular season,” Farley said. “It’s nice for the seniors who experienced the hardships.”
The softball team will be in Illinois for their tournament this weekend, while the baseball team will leave for Virginia tomorrow.
LSC hires new soccer coach, seeking new basketball coach
5/8/07
By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
The Hornets have found one new coach and are looking to find another.
Jim Davis, the husband of administrative assistant Traci Davis, has been hired as the new head coach for women’s soccer. The athletic department is still searching for a new head coach for men’s basketball.
Former head coach Miles Etter decided to leave because he found that it was more difficult to balance both his full-time job and coaching, according to Athletic Director Chris Ummer. Ummer was very appreciative of the job Etter did as head coach.
“He did a wonderful job,” Ummer said. “He raised the bar for the program, and he did it effectively. Under his tenure, the women had their most success, by far.”
Davis, who graduated from North Country Union High School and Middlebury College, was hired because of his vision for the future of the school’s women’s soccer program.
“As much as Miles raised the bar, I’d like to see that bar continue to be raised,” Ummer said. He added that part of Davis’ vision for the team is to make it competitive with any Division III program in New England.
Because of confidentiality issues, Ummer couldn’t name who the other three candidates were for the position. He did say that all of them were “external to New England,” including one from Britain.
As for the former men’s basketball head coach Randy Rathburn, the athletic department decided to go in a different direction in terms of leadership in the coaching position, according to Ummer. This move follows the team’s struggles each of the last two years. One of the candidates for the position is Assistant Coach and Sports Information Director Bill Johnson. Ummer confirmed that Johnson has submitted an application for the job, but again because of confidentiality issues, couldn’t name any other candidates. Because of his candidacy for the position, Johnson was unable to comment.
Ummer says that he’s forming a search committee, which will begin looking for a new coach within the next one to two weeks. The athletic department hopes to have a new coach in place by the beginning of June.
While the athletic department would like to see all its varsity sports have winning teams, Ummer says that the student athletes’ experiences are even more important.
“We’d like to see all our student athletes have a positive experience with every component of every program. The head coach plays a pretty key role in that,” Ummer said.
Ummer is very hopeful that the new coach will make the team more competitive next season, when the athletic programs begin competition in the North Atlantic Conference.
“We got a lot of talent on the men’s basketball team. We got a lot of returning talent,” Ummer said, adding that recruiting is a very large part in the team’s success.
“You bring in good folks with people who have good knowledge, that’s a lethal weapon,” when it comes to having winning programs, Ummer says.
By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
The Hornets have found one new coach and are looking to find another.
Jim Davis, the husband of administrative assistant Traci Davis, has been hired as the new head coach for women’s soccer. The athletic department is still searching for a new head coach for men’s basketball.
Former head coach Miles Etter decided to leave because he found that it was more difficult to balance both his full-time job and coaching, according to Athletic Director Chris Ummer. Ummer was very appreciative of the job Etter did as head coach.
“He did a wonderful job,” Ummer said. “He raised the bar for the program, and he did it effectively. Under his tenure, the women had their most success, by far.”
Davis, who graduated from North Country Union High School and Middlebury College, was hired because of his vision for the future of the school’s women’s soccer program.
“As much as Miles raised the bar, I’d like to see that bar continue to be raised,” Ummer said. He added that part of Davis’ vision for the team is to make it competitive with any Division III program in New England.
Because of confidentiality issues, Ummer couldn’t name who the other three candidates were for the position. He did say that all of them were “external to New England,” including one from Britain.
As for the former men’s basketball head coach Randy Rathburn, the athletic department decided to go in a different direction in terms of leadership in the coaching position, according to Ummer. This move follows the team’s struggles each of the last two years. One of the candidates for the position is Assistant Coach and Sports Information Director Bill Johnson. Ummer confirmed that Johnson has submitted an application for the job, but again because of confidentiality issues, couldn’t name any other candidates. Because of his candidacy for the position, Johnson was unable to comment.
Ummer says that he’s forming a search committee, which will begin looking for a new coach within the next one to two weeks. The athletic department hopes to have a new coach in place by the beginning of June.
While the athletic department would like to see all its varsity sports have winning teams, Ummer says that the student athletes’ experiences are even more important.
“We’d like to see all our student athletes have a positive experience with every component of every program. The head coach plays a pretty key role in that,” Ummer said.
Ummer is very hopeful that the new coach will make the team more competitive next season, when the athletic programs begin competition in the North Atlantic Conference.
“We got a lot of talent on the men’s basketball team. We got a lot of returning talent,” Ummer said, adding that recruiting is a very large part in the team’s success.
“You bring in good folks with people who have good knowledge, that’s a lethal weapon,” when it comes to having winning programs, Ummer says.
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